 How
to Make the Most of Your Summer
By Victoria Munro
The weather is warm, the days are long—it’s summer.
But don’t let those lazy hazy days just drift by. Plan
now to make the most of the season: get
some needed rest, recharge your batteries, regroup and be ready
to hit the ground running this fall.
Three Ways to Maximize Your Summer
One: Socialize and Network
Quality time spent with people in relaxed settings
gives opportunity to deepen relationships. Invite current, past
and prospective clients to a ball game, backyard barbecue or an
outdoor concert.
When the golf course, tennis court or hiking trails beckon, go!
Ask two or three clients, who would benefit from meeting and getting
to know each other, to join you.
Volunteer to help out in the community, walk or run for a good
cause and make new friends in the process.
Throw a party, organize a picnic or plan a luncheon for clients,
referral partners and friends. Or host a Raving Fans Event.
Two: Take Advantage of the Slower
Season
Depending on your type of business, summer can
be slow. Clients, prospects and staff take vacations, people just
assume a more relaxed pace, and companies often postpone making
purchasing decisions till fall. When unprepared, this can cause
a cash flow challenge. Offset this by announcing a summer
special, or discount fall services or products if clients pay
by June, July or August.
Get caught up on tasks you neglected when busier. Clean out files
and purge out-of-date material.
Bring your business plan out of the file drawer and review it.
Are revenues and costs projections or track? Do you need to make
adjustments? Brainstorm possible new products or marketing ideas,
or different ways to grow your business.
Hire a summer intern from a local college to help you catch up
or get ahead for the fall.
Make a plan now to finish the year strong. Write goals you want
to achieve by the end of the year and put action steps in place
for each of them.
Three: Care for Your Business’s
Number One Asset
Taking good care of your
business’s number one asset—you—is the best
thing you can do for yourself, your family, your clients and your
business.
Re-arrange your priorities during the summer. If necessary, change
your work hours and make time to chill out and have fun with the
kids while they’re off school. Get away from the office
for a picnic together. Visit the zoo, water park or museum. Organize
activities with parents, siblings and friends.
Take mini vacations, whether alone, with family, spouse or significant
other. Arrange a day or a long weekend away. Take a camping trip.
Watch for last-minute vacation deals and be spontaneous.
When the weather is good, take a few minutes for a brisk walk
outside. It will get your brain going and you’ll return
to your desk refreshed and more creative.
Maximize vacation time
by taking along a couple of light, fun and really motivating business
books to read. Bring a journal and jot down your thoughts.
Some of the best ideas come at unlikely times when you’re
relaxed and having fun.
Take a few minutes each day to review your life and your business
from a distance. Write down where you want to be in three years
and what it will take to get there.
Before you know it, summer will be a fond and distant
memory. Don’t just coast along till business picks up again.
Choose one or more of the tips above and decide now how you’ll
maximize your summer. Then be ready
to enjoy your best fall ever!
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We
love this warmer weather. We’ve enjoyed some great ‘city’
hikes as Victoria can now walk several
miles. We had fun planting flowers on our patio,
which amazingly survived a brief snowstorm last week.
Q:
What would you say to other business owners who are contemplating
getting involved in a Make-it-Fly® board?
